Connekt, the AI-driven technology company transforming TV advertising for the connected world, and Verance, a leading ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV platform company, have partnered to develop the standard for interactive advertising formats to be delivered over the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 3.0 standard.

The effort will provide an end-to-end solution for networks, content owners and programmers to build and deliver a next-generation, on-screen experience for consumers that includes enhanced engagement and interactivity.

As part of the partnership, the Verance Aspect™ watermark technology will enable Connekt to deliver enhanced ads across all devices and distribution paths, including ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 Over-The-Air (OTA), Over-The-Top (OTT) and Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPD), such as cable, satellite and telco services. Connekt has built tools that will allow media organizations to develop and deploy on-screen experiences for content, brands and advertisers.

The solution will provide an easy transition to ATSC 3.0 for networks, and will open up new revenue streams and consumer experiences on television.

“As TV revenue models shift, Connekt provides technical solutions, tools and applications to allow networks, content owners and advertisers to retain and grow new revenue streams,” said Mike Fitzsimmons, CEO of Connekt. “In fact, our existing technology has enabled many of the same experiences for TV that we are designing for ATSC 3.0. We are paving the way for the future of broadcast TV advertising, and Verance is the ideal partner for this collaboration.”

“ATSC 3.0 will allow us to bridge the consumer experience gap between linear and IP delivered TV content. Verance Aspect provides consumers a more harmonized experience as we transition between ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 environments,” said Eric Anderson, chief partnership officer of Verance. “At the same time, Aspect offers programmers, agencies and brands an open-market, open-standards based platform to ensure scalability and ROI for Next Gen TV experiences and enhanced advertising. We’re looking forward to working with Connekt to create and drive these compelling consumer experiences.”

In November 2017, the FCC voted to allow the rollout of the ATSC 3.0 advanced broadcast transmission standard. ATSC 3.0 uses both OTA signals and in-home broadband to deliver a more dynamic broadcast experience, such as video on demand, interactive services, 4k video and advanced emergency alerts. The result will be an enhanced OTA broadcast experience for viewers that closely resembles cable TV.